The present invention generally relates to a filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank, and particularly to a containment cover for closing a capless fuel tank filler neck. More particularly, the present invention relates to a closure assembly suitable for use with a robotic refueling system.
A removable fuel cap with a sealing gasket is typically used to close the open end of a fuel tank filler neck. It has been observed that fuel caps are often lost or damaged over time and, as a result, the open end of the filler neck might not be closed and sealed in accordance with the original equipment specifications during operation of the vehicle.
A robotic refueling system operates to detect a vehicle arriving at a vehicle-refueling station, open the vehicle fuel tank filler neck access door, locate a fuel tank filler neck in the vehicle, insert a fuel-dispensing nozzle automatically into the filler neck to introduce fuel in the fuel tank of the vehicle, withdraw the fuel dispensing nozzle after refueling and close the filler neck access door, all without any intervention by an attendant. The filler neck closure assembly of the present invention is particularly suited for use with such robotic refueling systems.
According to the present invention, a filler neck closure assembly is provided for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck. The filler neck closure assembly includes a closure apparatus formed to include a pump nozzle-receiving opening and adapted to be mounted on an open mouth of a filler neck. A cover, coupled to the closure apparatus, is movable between a closed position covering the nozzle-receiving opening to close the filler neck and an opened position uncovering the nozzle-receiving opening to allow access thereto. The cover is coupled to a tether that, when moved away from the filler neck and away from the closure apparatus, moves the cover from the closed position to the opened position.
In preferred embodiments, the closure apparatus includes an outer shell formed to include the nozzle-receiving opening and a conduit coupled to the outer shell to communicate with the nozzle-receiving opening and adapted to be coupled to a vehicle fuel tank filler neck. The closure apparatus further includes a sealable closure in the conduit that is normally closed to block discharge of fuel vapor from the filler neck to the atmosphere through the nozzle-receiving opening and that can be moved to an opened position by a fuel-dispensing nozzle during an initial stage of refueling. The cover is arranged to engage the outer shell and lie in spaced-apart relation to the sealable closure when the cover lies in the closed position.
Also in preferred embodiments, the cover is spring-loaded to “snap” to its closed or opened position. The closure apparatus includes an overcenter spring configured to bias the cover toward the closed position when the cover is positioned to lie between the closed position and a transition position between the closed and opened positions. The overcenter spring is also configured to bias the cover toward the opened position when the cover is positioned to lie between the transition position and the opened position.
The tether has its other end coupled to an inner wall of a pivotable filler neck access door mounted in the body panel of a vehicle. When the access door is opened by a vehicle owner, service station attendant, or robotic refueling system during a first stage of vehicle refueling, the filler neck cover is moved to the opened position uncovering the nozzle-receiving opening. A fuel-dispensing pump nozzle can then be inserted manually or robotically into the nozzle-receiving opening in the filler neck to open the sealable closure in the conduit and to dispense fuel into the filler neck for delivery to the fuel tank of the vehicle.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.